Loyalty cards can lighten the load or just make your wallet bulge, writes Jane E. Fraser.

I would be charged excess baggage if I carried a membership card for every loyalty program I have joined. From coffee shops to airlines and hotel chains, I have a large collection of cards promising benefits and discounts - keeping track of them all is near impossible.

Perhaps when it comes to loyalty programs we should aim for quality rather than quantity.

When choosing accommodation, for example, we could be much better off sticking with one hotel group as a means of maximising points and perks.

Most travellers who belong to loyalty programs actually have very little loyalty and they belong to numerous schemes - almost every hotel chain has a loyalty program.

Because they collect a mishmash of points and benefits, members may never achieve any useful status with any of the programs.

The more you spend with any one group, the more recognition and benefits you get, so showing some loyalty could pay off.

How much you need to travel to justify loyalty program membership depends on the type of program.

I looked at one program that cost $279 a year, which seemed like a lot of money to pay up front.

But you could theoretically redeem the joining cost in just one trip if you made use of all the benefits.

The program included one free night's accommodation, which could be worth more than the membership fee, plus a continuing 15per cent discount on the best rate of the day.

(It is important to differentiate between the best rate of day and the full rate when looking at discounts, as there are always discounted prices in the market.)

The program also provided a 50per cent discount in participating hotels and restaurants, which on breakfasts alone could save you considerable money.

So even infrequent travellers could be in front with this membership, so long as they made the effort to understand and maximise the benefits available.

Other programs may not be worth joining unless you travel frequently, as you have to build up a significant number of points before you get any benefits.

If you want to stick to one loyalty program, there are several things to take into account.

Some have discounts, some have points that can be redeemed for free nights, some focus on perks and many are linked with frequent-flyer programs, allowing you to earn points towards flights rather than accommodation.

If you are an infrequent traveller, I believe you are better off going for an immediate benefit such as a discount on the room or free breakfasts.

Many of the benefits available through loyalty programs, such as express check-in, are geared towards corporate travellers and are not necessarily relevant to leisure travellers.

If you are a frequent traveller, it probably pays to accumulate points towards free nights or room upgrades.

Most programs give you a choice between earning room points or frequent flyer points - often with the ability to transfer them in either direction - Hilton, for example, allows you to "double dip" and earn both.

Other things to consider are whether there are blackout periods that could make it difficult to redeem your points and whether you are able to top up your points with cash if necessary.

Hotel loyalty programs are difficult to compare but, if you are willing to stick with one hotel group, there should be a program that will suit your needs.

Focus on what has the most value to you and look for a program that provides it.

An alternative to choosing one hotel group is using a booking service that has its own loyalty program.

The online booking engine Hotel Club (www.hotelclub.com.au), for example, has a free program where you can earn "member dollars" towards your next booking.

The dollars are calculated on your total spend and can be used to pay for part of your next booking.

This gives you some reward for loyalty while leaving you free to choose from a huge range of accommodation options, including internet specials and last-minute prices.

ASK YOURSELF

What's the cost to join the program and how quickly is it recouped?

Do you want free nights, discounts or perks such as free breakfasts?

Are there blackout periods or restrictions on redeeming points?

Can you top up your points with cash in order to redeem them?

Does the chain have plenty of hotels in the places you tend to travel?

Does the chain have hotels where you want to redeem your points?